17 Year-Old Girl Turns Down Mark Sanchez’s Request to Take Her to Prom

Kara Grainger, a 17 year-old high school senior from Morristown, NJ, will not be accompanied to prom this year by the New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez.

"It's just not something I wanted to do," said Grainger. "I hope there are no hard feelings, but being seen with Mark Sanchez in public in 2013 is about the most humiliating thing I can imagine. Being seen with any Jets player, I just … I would never live it down."

Sanchez had sent the 17 year-old several letters asking to take her to prom and also posted a YouTube video in which he said going with her "would be a dream come true and make him the happiest player on the New York Jets."

In place of Sanchez, Kara will go to the prom with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Kyle, a C-student waiting to see if he will get accepted to Rutgers.

"Kyle isn't exactly anyone's idea of a dream date," she said. "But at least he's not seen nationally as symbol of failure. I can't imagine the things people would say to me if I went with Sanchez. 'Hey, Kara, don't let him fumble your butt tonight.' So embarrassing."

Kara said she called Sanchez personally and told him she wouldn't go to prom with him.

"It was flattering that he asked," said Kara. "It's nice to get attention like that. But I have to say no to things sometimes. Rex Ryan asked me if I would try out for quarterback. I can't do everything."